159 Cook Street -the Hampton Court Apartments

Victoria City Tour

Cook Street

159 Cook Street was designed and built in 1913 by architect George C. Mesher for Dr. Arthur Pallant, who intended to live in one of the apartments while renting out the other apartments to upscale tenants.

Architect George C. Mesher designed this building with 18 apartments. It is now 16 residential strata condominiums.

159 Cook Street was designed and built in 1913 by architect George C. Mesher for Dr. Arthur Pallant. a retired dentist who intended to live in one of the apartments while renting out the other apartments to upscale tenants.

The building was originally called the Park Mansions. By 1915 the name had been changed to the Hampton Court Apartments, which it still called today.

Architect George C. Mesher designed this building with 18 apartments. The original owner, Dr. Arthur Pallant, intended the building to attract wealthy tenants. Servants quarters were built in the basement, with electric buzzers connecting the individual apartments to the servants’ quarters.

Dr. Pallant was killed in a motor vehicle incident in 1915 and ownership passed to his son and daughter, who kept the building as rental apartments until 1958, when they sold the building to the Duke of Westminster.

The Duke of Westminster owned several properties in British Columbia during the 1950’s and 1960’s, including Mayfair Mall. The Duke of Westminster’s estate sold this building in 1968.

In 1970 it was purchased by Elton Murphy who decided to demolish the building. In 1976 Elton Murphy actually obtained a demolition permit from the City of Victoria but his tenants found out about the planned demolition and quickly contacted Victoria City Hall. One of the tenants was Violet Mesher, daughter of architect George C. Mesher.

In response to the tenants’ complaint, Victoria Mayor Mike Young visited the building with members of City Council. Two days later, the City of Victoria issued a stop work order on the demolition permit and took steps to prevent the demolition by making a Heritage Designation on the building and placing it on the City of Victoria Heritage Building Registry.